Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 13 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 13 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off on Friday night with a cracker between the Hurricanes and the Brumbies from Westpac Stadium.

Last weekend was a round full of upsets with the biggest of them all coming on Saturday night, the Rebels knocking over competition heavyweights the Crusaders. If that wasn’t enough, on Friday night the Hurricanes got one up over their neighbours the Highlanders and on Sunday the Reds knocked over the table topping Chiefs. I only picked 1 of those with the Reds sparing my blushes on Sunday.

The Waratahs wasted their chance of finals rugby last weekend with their loss against the Bulls, a last minute try all but ending their season unless their Australian counterparts the Reds and Brumbies capitulate.

This weekend should be a beauty, 7 great match-ups and only 6 weeks left after this until the finals kick in. We’re almost at the midseason break too, where we are treated to a month of international Rugby, we’ll bring you preview of all of that action too!

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

The Hurricanes head into this match on the back of an upset win over their more fancied neighbours the Highlanders while the Brumbies got to put their feet up last week and watch the action with a bye.

The Hurricanes are making a real dash for the finals and that win last week over the Highlanders did no harm to their chances of a top 6 berth. They’ll need to continue that this week against the Australian conference front runners, and they’ll need fly-half Beauden Barrett to continue the superb form that has got him into the All Blacks preliminary squad.

The Brumbies on the other hand, they’ll need to perform without their in form fly-half Christian Lealiifano. Their record in New Zealand is far from impressive too, with no wins since 2009 and a record of 0-7 in their last seven matches across the Tasman.

Against the Waratahs, the Brumbies were outstanding, and they’ll need to reproduce that form here. They’ve been quite consistent this year while the Hurricanes have been up and down. For that reason, I am going to go for a Brumbies win in a high scoring encounter.

Highlanders v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 3.30pm (EST)

The Highlanders will be filthy that they let last weeks match against the Hurricanes slip and will be looking to make amends for that this week. That loss dealt a massive blow to their chances of making the top 6 and this week they come up against a Bulls side at the top of their game. They managed a come from behind win against the Waratahs last weekend and now sit at the top of the Super 15 Rugby ladder on 46 points.

With their loss to the Hurricanes last weekend, the Highlanders have now slipped out of the top 6 and have lost their last two matches. They won’t head into this one with much confidence and another loss will see them slip further and further away from an all important finals position.

The Bulls have been one of the most consistent sides of the competition and moving to the top of the ladder at the expense of the Chiefs will surely give them a confidence boost. They are the leading pointscorers in the competition with 338 points and I can see this one being another high scoring match. The Bulls don’t have the best of defences and the Highlanders will look to exploit that, however they’ll need their experienced players to step up this week after some substandard performances recently.

I can’t see the Highlanders bouncing back in this one to be honest, the Bulls are too strong all over the park and should have enough to get over the top of them.

Crusaders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Saturday 5.30pm (EST)

The Crusaders were shocked last week, going down by 9 points to the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne. They were on a run of 4 wins in a row and sitting pretty inside the top 6 until that upset and they’ll no doubt be looking to bounce back this week. The Blues got themselves off the bottom of the ladder with a win over the Lions last Friday night, their first win since early in the competition.

This could be a bloodbath with the Crusaders looking to bounce back from a loss they wouldn’t have seen coming, and the Blues gaining some false confidence from beating the leagues cellar dwellars in the Lions. The Crusaders won’t take them lightly like they did the Rebels last weekend, and the Blues have been so bad this year I can only pencil this one in as a certain 4 (possibly 5) points to the Crusaders.

Queensland Reds v Lions – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Last week the Reds caused a bit of an upset by downing the Chiefs who had not been beaten since round 1 of the competition. While the Lions moved back to their rightful position at the bottom of the ladder with a loss to the now 14th placed Blues.

The Reds almost tossed that game away last week, going ahead early before conceding 3 cheap tries to put them on the back foot. They bounced back with 4 unanswered tries of their own and will head into this match with plenty of confidence knowing that their free flowing ways are finally returning. With Will Genia hitting top form following the mid-season controversy surrounding his on/off move the Western Force, the Reds now have plenty of momentum heading towards the finals and could welcome back Quade Cooper this week.

The Lions were atrocious once again last week, only managing to put on 3 points against a struggling Blues outfit. They will more than likely finish at the bottom of the ladder and that does not bode well for them with the last placed South African side likely to make way for the Kings from Durban next season.

The Reds in a landslide here.

Cheetahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

The Cheetahs were unlucky to go down by 2 points to the Stormers last weekend, they put up a real fight and defensively they were solid, something I didn’t think I would say about them this season. The Sharks, they demolished the Western Force 53-11 at the weekend to keep their finals hopes alive. They moved into the top 6 at the expense of the Highlanders and will want to continue that form going into this one.

The Cheetahs have been a big surprise to me this season. I thought they would have really struggled to make an impact and they’ve proven me wrong. They don’t have much of a chance of making the finals but they will prove to be tough opposition for many teams over the next few weeks who are trying to get into that top 6.

The Sharks have plenty of firepower but they have not really shown what they can do enough this season. They have won 4 of their last 5 matches, their only loss coming against the previously table topping Chiefs which shows that their form heading into this stage of the season is spot on.

I think the Cheetahs will provide some resistance here, but I think the Sharks will come away with the 4 points.

Stormers v NSW Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
Newlands, Durban, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

The Stormers head into this match at Newlands on the back of a narrow 2 point win over Cheetahs. They have the best defence in the league by a long way but they play the type of boring rugby that leaves you wishing you’d watched the grass grow instead. In saying that though, they are winning matches and if it wasn’t for the Bulls they would be at the top of the Super 15 Rugby ladder.

The Waratahs had another demoralising loss at the weekend, going down by 3 points to the Bulls after leading with less than a minute on the clock. That pretty much sums up their season, and the last 5 seasons. They always promise but when the going gets tough they are nowhere to be seen. This season has been full of promise but oncce again they have failed to deliver and this week is basically make or break for them. Their chances of finals football are pretty much gone, so they really have nothing to lose.

I think the Waratahs will be up for this one, but I just can’t see them cracking the Stormers defence, especially at home. I think the Stormers in a close one with the Waratahs picking up another bonus point.

Western Force v Melbourne Rebels – Super 15 Rugby Round 13
nib Stadium, Perth, Sunday 4.10pm (EST)

The form of these two sides could not be any more different heading into this one. The Force were absolutely anihilated by the Sharks last weekend in an embarrassing effort, while the Rebels caused the upset of the season by knocking over the Crusaders. No-one saw that one coming and that will surely give them plenty of confidence heading into this local derby.

The Force were abysmal to the say the least against the Sharks last week, they’ll need some serious improvements if they are going to get anywhere near a Rebels side high on confidence. Last weekend was a wakeup call for them and it will be interesting to see if they take anything from that match.

The Rebels were outstanding in that win last weekend, I don’t know anybody who would have tipped them to beat the Crusaders. This will be a danger game for the Rebels as they have shown their inconsistency this year, they need to put together a few good wins on the trot to ever be considered a chance of making the top 6.

I think the Rebels will continue their form and take this one against the Force to move further away and leave the Force condemned to last place in the Australian conference.

Sports Banter Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Brumbies
Highlanders v Bulls – Bulls
Crusaders v Blues – Crusaders
Reds v Lions – Reds
Cheetahs v Sharks – Sharks
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers
Force v Rebels – Rebels

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Hurricanes v Brumbies – Brumbies +5.0 @ $1.91
Highlanders v Bulls – Bulls 1-12 @ $2.95
Crusaders v Blues – Crusaders 13+ @ $2.14
Reds v Lions – Reds 13+ @ $1.49
Cheetahs v Sharks – Sharks -2.5 @ $1.91
Stormers v Waratahs – Stormers 1-12 @ $3.00
Force v Rebels – Rebels @ $1.91

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Preview

By Steve 4 Comments

Round 12 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season gets underway from Eden Park on Friday night when the bottom two sides clash in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon. The Blues currently sit in last place on the ladder, just 2 points clear of the Lions.

However, the real action gets underway on Saturday when the Waratahs host the Bulls looking to keep their season alive. This is followed by what should be a beauty between the Highlanders and Hurricanes on Saturday night.

Round 12 wraps up on Sunday with probably the match of the round though when the top of the table Chiefs travel to Suncorp to take on last seasons champions the Queensland Reds. They will be looking to bounce back from a narrow loss to the Crusaders last weekend and will fancy an upset in this one in front of a vocal home crowd.

Check out our previews of each match below, and make sure you scroll to the bottom to see our tips and best bets for each match of Round 12.

Blues v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 11 May, 5.30pm (EST)

This season could not get any worse for the Blues, they’re on a shocking run and the only reason they go into this one as favourites is because the Lions are on a 10 match losing streak themselves. In act, the Blues could actually lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder with a win in this one at the expense of their opposition.

Last weekend the Blues went down 35-19 to their neighbours the Hurricanes, while the Lions went down by 13 in a 34-21 loss to the league leading Chiefs.

The Lions have far too many injuries to trouble the Blues in Auckland, and despite saying I would never tip the Blues again this week I think I will have to go against my better judgement. The Lions are looking odds on to be the side dropped from the competition next season in favour of the Kings from Durban!

Waratahs v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Friday 11 May, 7.40pm (EST)

The Waratahs are at the point where if they don’t start a winning streak soon they can kiss the finals goodbye. Last weekend they put up another questionable performance which is surprising as they looked quite good against the Crusaders the week before. The Brumbies humbled them 23-6 and now have a 9 point gap between themselves and the Waratahs. The only way the Waratahs are going to make the finals is to finish 6th overall or top of the Australian conference as the other sides, Crusaders & Stormers, are just too good to drop that many points.

The Bulls had a tough 41-35 win over the Rebels in Melbourne last week, they were awesome in attack with Morne Steyn scoring 21 points on his own. However in defence they were quite woeful, allowing the Rebels in for 5 tries and gifting them two bonus points. This week they continue their tour of Australia and you would think this week will be even tougher with the Waratahs season on the line.

I have tipped the Waratahs far too many times this year and my form in tipping comps has suffered as a result, however I will tip them once more only because their season is on the line and they should be hungry.

Highlanders v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 12 May, 5.30pm (EST)

This should be a cracker of a match between two Kiwi outfits looking to get a place in the top 6. They’ve both had up and down seasons and previously their clashes have been quite close with less than 7 points deciding their last 7 clashes. This one shouldn’t be any different.

Last weekend the Highlanders went down to the Sharks somewhat surprisingly in Durban, despite being on the road I thought their form warranted favouritism for that one and they couldn’t deliver in the end. At the moment the Highlanders are just clinging on for 6th spot with 34 points, just 4 points in front of this weeks opponents.

The Hurricanes disposed of the Blues last week (who didn’t see that one coming), however this week will be a much tougher test for them with the Highlanders looking to bounce back and consolidate a finals position. They will need to muscle up in defence if they are to get anything out of this one, I can’t see them getting the win though. A bonus point may be all they can hope for here.

Rebels v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Saturday 13 May, 7.30pm (EST)

The Rebels put up a good effort against the Bulls last week to get themselves two bonus points, it was probably their best performance of the season so far and they will be kicking themselves that they didn’t manage to get an upset win. They’ll go into this one as massive underdogs, like they do most weeks, and will take confidence from last weeks match, especially their first half.

The Crusaders fought out a tough 15-11 win over the Reds at home last weekend and will be looking to make it another win here to keep them inside the top 6 and possible move them as high as 4th.

I can’t see anything but a Crusaders win here in this one, the Rebels gave it everything last weekend and I just wonder whether that effort would have taken a bit out of them, especially considering the final result.

Sharks v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
ABSA Stadium, Durban, Sunday 13 May, 1.05am (EST)

The Sharks got themselves back in the winning circle with a solid 28-16 win over the Highlanders in Durban last weekend. This week they welcome the Western Force and will be looking at this as a possible 5 pointer that could get them back into the top 6. They have young fly half Patrick Lambie to thank for last weeks win, he scored all 28 of their points and was amongst everything good for the Sharks.

The Force went down 17-13 to the Cheetahs in a battle of the other end of the table last Saturday, they earned themselves a bonus point for their troubles but they are well and truly out of the race for a finals spot. The Force are probably still questioning how last weeks match escaped them as they looked to have the match won only for a legitimate try to be disallowed gifting the South Africans the 4 points.

This should be an easy win to the Sharks but stranger things have happened. The Sharks need to start making a run now or they may just miss the boat for the finals.

Stormers v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town, Sunday 13 May, 3.10am (EST)

The Stormers will be fresh off a bye heading into this one against a Cheetahs side that escaped by the skin of their teeth in controversial circumstances against the Force last weekend. With the match in the balance, the Force looked to have scored a match winning try only to be denied and give the Cheetahs a valuable 4 points.

The Stormers have the best defence in the 2012 Super Rugby competition with just 9 tries conceded in their 9 matches, an amazing record. In fact, they are one of just 2 teams that have conceded less than 200 points, with just 144 points conceded so far this season. The Cheetahs, on the other hand, have conceded 27 tries in their 9 matches so far. The problem for the Stormers is in attack, they’ve only scored 16 tries this season, the Cheetahs have scored 23.

In saying that though, the Stormers defence has won them many a game this season and they pride themselves on that. The Cheetahs like to play fast, expansive rugby and I can’t see the Stormers letting them do that this week, the Stormers should be far too strong and will be looking to get top spot on the SA conference back.

Reds v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Sunday 13 May, 4pm (EST)

This should be another belter of a match with the Reds looking to get back to the form that took them to last years Grand Final, and the Chiefs anihilating everyone in their path to lead the overall Super Rugby standings.

Last week, the Reds were gallant in defeat against the in form Crusaders going down by just 4 points in a 15-11 loss. They’ll be looking to bounce back this week and keep their faint hopes of a finals spot alive. Ben Lucas has been in top form at fly half, with Quade Cooper still on the injured list they’ll need him to fire again here with the Chiefs the best team in the competition so far, they haven’t lost since the first week!

The Chiefs continued on their winning ways last weekend with a 34-21 win over the Lions and they look unstoppable at the moment. They haven’t lost a match since round 1 and they don’t look like losing one at the moment. while they haven’t been brilliant each week, they do enough to get the wins. Sonny Bill has been a great purchase for them, and their forwards have been unstoppable. Loose head prop Sona Taumalolo has been a revelation for them scoring 7 tries so far this season, just 1 try off the top of the try scoring leaderboard!

I think this one will be tight and I can actually see the Reds getting the 4 points here. The Chiefs are probably due a loss and the Reds have finally got some continuity in their line-up after a horror season of injuries.

Sports Banter’s Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12

Blues v Lions – Blues
Waratahs v Bulls – Waratahs
Highlanders v Hurricanes – Highlanders
Rebels v Crusaders – Crusaders
Sharks v Force – Sharks
Stormers v Cheetahs – Stormers
Reds v Chiefs – Reds

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12

Blues v Lions – Blues -11.5 @ $1.91
Waratahs v Bulls – Waratahs @ $1.91
Highlanders v Hurricanes – Highlanders -3.5 @ $1.91
Rebels v Crusaders – Crusaders -13.5 @ $1.91
Sharks v Force – Sharks 13+ @ $1.98
Stormers v Cheetahs – Stormers -9.5 @ $1.91
Reds v Chiefs – Reds @ $2.00

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 11 Preview

By Steve 1 Comment

Round 11 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season kicks off tomorrow night when the Hurricanes take on the Blues in Wellington. Last week was an absolute cracker with no real blowouts to speak of despite all of the favourites getting up for wins.

This week there has been plenty of off field controversy surrounding the Reds and Rebels. Will Genia’s decision to turn his back on an agreement to join the Western Force next season was not received very well, however the player took a massive pay cut to stay with the Reds so at least it wasn’t a question of money. For the Rebels, Danny Cipriani has been released early from his contract in order for the fly half to give himself a chance of playing for England again.

We’re now half way through the regular season and the table is really taking shape now, it’s getting to the point where some teams need to start winning or they will find themselves out of contention for the all important top 6. We preview all 7 matches below including our tips and best bets for each of them.

Hurricanes v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 4 May, 5.35pm

The Blues are rooted to the bottom of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 ladder and for good reason, they’ve been abysmal this year. The Hurricanes on the other hand, they’ve been up and down all season. They have the worst defence in the league, but they make up for that with one of the best attacks so far this season. That’s why they sit mid table and still have a chance of making the top 6.

This match could be anything to be honest, the Blues are probably due a win but I really don’t know where they are going to pull it from based on recent outings. Last week they were beaten 23-11 by a depleted Reds side at home. The Hurricanes didn’t fare any better though, soundly beaten 33-14 by the league leading Chiefs.

We should see plenty of attacking rugby here if recent Hurricanes matches are anything to go by, I think they may just have too much in the tank for a struggling Blues outfit.

Rebels v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Friday 4 May, 7.40pm

The Rebels had the bye last week and midweek they said goodbye to Danny Cipriani who heads back to England to try and reclaim a spot in the English national side. He leaves before the end of his contract and the Rebels will now need someone to step up and fill the void that he leaves in the halves for the rest of the season.

The Bulls also had the bye last week and they now embark on their 4 week tour of Australia and New Zealand, this will test them and we’ll see if they are still sitting inside the top 6 in 4 weeks time. They’ve won 4 in a row and sit in 4th place on the Super 15 Rugby ladder currently. They’ll be banking on at least 4 points in this one as they come up against the Waratahs, Highlanders and Chiefs in the next 3 matches.

The Bulls should get the points in this one and do enough to earn themselves a bonus point. If the Rebels can overcome the loss of Cipriani and O’Connor (injury) they might just be able to get themselves a defensive bonus point.

Chiefs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Bayer Growers Stadium, Saturday May 5, 5.30pm

The Chiefs are in blistering form having won their last 8 matches, they’ve only lost once this season and that was a narrow loss to the Highlanders in week 1. They head into this one on the back of a 33-14 win over the Hurricanes at Waikato Stadium. They’ll be banking on an easy win here but they’ll need to guard against complacency.

The Lions are odds on for the wooden spoon this year and only have the woeful form of the Blues to thank for not already sitting in last place on the ladder. They were beaten convincingly 34-20 by the Brumbies at home last weekend and will be lucky if they can even secure a bonus point in this one.

The Chiefs are raging hot favourites and for good reason, I can’t see this one going any other way to be honest!

Brumbies v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 5 May, 7.40pm

The Brumbies head into this one on top of the Australian conference and on the back of a dominant 34-20 win over the Lions last week away from home. They’ve won 4 of their 5 home matches so far this year and come up against a Waratahs side desparate for a win that could get them one step closer to that all important top 6.

The Waratahs were gallant in defeat last weekend going down 37-33 to the Crusaders. They stayed with the Kiwi outfit for the majority of the match but some silly errors at the back end of the game cost them dearly in the end. They earned themselves a valuable bonus point from that match and will know that a convincing win here against the Brumbies could rocket them to the top of the Australian conference and a top 3 spot.

The Brumbies are much improved this season, no doubt due to the influence of new coach Jake White. However, I think the Waratahs turned a corner last weekend and will be the hungrier of the two sides going into this one. I think they will win, but only narrowly, the Brumbies will keep top spot for another week at least.

Sharks v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 6 May, 1.05am

The Sharks head into this one fresh off the bye last week and will be desparate to get a win and stay in touch with the top 6. The Highlanders had a narrow 36-33 win over the Cheetahs on Sunday morning and will be looking to improve on their defence in the second leg of their South African tour. They will know they got out of jail in that one and won’t want to start slowly again here, the Sharks won’t be as easy to catch.

The Sharks have not been anywhere near their best this season with just 4 wins from 9 matches and they currently sit in 7th place on the ladder. 6 points is the margin between them and the in form Crusaders in 6th place. The Highlanders, they currently sit in 5th place on 34 points thanks to 7 wins so far this season, they have been unlucky that the Chiefs have been in such good form in the NZ conference. Bonus points appears to be the Highlanders main weakness, they tend to win matches without scoring too many tries, they’ll need to improve that to catch the leaders.

I think the Highlanders will get the points in this one, but I think they will miss out on a bonus point again, they’re in better form and the Sharks aren’t as competitive as they have been in recent seasons.

Cheetahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 6 May, 3.10am

The Cheetahs head into this one on the back of a narrow 36-33 loss to the Highlanders in a match that they should have won to be honest. They got themselves a massive lead and capitulated in the second half to surrender to a fast finishing NZ outfit.

The Force were soundly beaten by a far superior Stormers side at home last week but they can take positives from the fact that they only conceded 17 points against the South African conference leaders. However, their 3 points in attack will obviously need to be improved on against the next of their South African opponents.

This is a tough one to pick to be honest. I think the Cheetahs at home may just scrape this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Force finish close enough to get themselves a bonus point.

Crusaders v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11
Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Sunday 6 May, 2pm

The Crusaders embark on the second leg of their Australian opposition following their 37-33 win over the Waratahs in Sydney last weekend. This time they take on the Queensland Reds at home and will be looking to take advantage of their first home game in 3 weeks. They have 5 home matches in the run into the finals and with just 8 matches left to play that is a massive advantage to have.

The Reds were not at their best against the Blues last weekend but they did enough to get the 4 points and will have been buoyed by the news that Will Genia will be staying with the club for a further 3 years. He did a backflip after agreeing to sign for the Force from next season but had a change of heart following their win over the Blues. That will be a big boost going into this match as the halves has been the area of most concern for them this season.

This should be a belter, I can’t go past the Crusaders in this one but I have a feeling that the Reds will put up a good fight and there will only be a few points in it.

Sports Banter Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11

Hurricanes v Blues – Hurricanes
Rebels v Bulls – Bulls
Chiefs v Lions – Chiefs
Brumbies v Waratahs – Waratahs
Sharks v Highlanders – Highlanders
Cheetahs v Force – Cheetahs
Crusaders v Reds – Crusaders

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11

Hurricanes v Blues – Hurricanes @ $1.52
Rebels v Bulls – Bulls -11.5 @ $1.91
Chiefs v Lions – Chiefs 13+ @ $1.49
Brumbies v Waratahs – Waratahs 1-12 @ $2.95
Sharks v Highlanders - Highlanders +5.5 @ $1.91
Cheetahs v Force – Cheetahs -7.5 @ $1.91
Crusaders v Reds – Crusaders 1-12 @ $2.90

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Round 10

By Steve Leave a Comment

Week 10 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off tomorrow night when the Blues host the Reds at Eden Park in Auckland. There appears to be a bit of a gap appearing at the top of the table with the New Zealand and South African team dominating the competition to this point.

Australia are lucky that the new Super Rugby format rewards the best performing team from each conference as without this Australia would be lucky to have a side make the top 6.

The Chiefs, Stormers and Bulls lead the competition on 35, 33 and 33 points respectively with the Brumbies 7 points adrift in 3rd place on 26. The Waratahs are nipping at their heels on 25 points for top spot in the Australian conference.

We preview all of the action for round 10 below including our tips and best bets for each match.

Blues v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 27 April, 5.35pm

The Blues head into this one on the back of another loss, albeit a narrow one to the Highlanders last week. While the Reds had their chances but could not convert them in a 23-13 loss to the Stormers last weekend.

Both sides will be looking to hit back this week with the Reds looking to try and claw back some ground on the Waratahs and Brumbies at the top of the Australian conference. They sit 5 points behind the Brumbies in 3rd place and a win with a bonus point will see them join them at the top.

The Blues have been woeful this season, one of the favourites heading into the start of the tournament they’ve failed to live up to their potential. They currently languish at the bottom of the Super 15 Rugby ladder and it’s hard to see any way back for them on current form.

The Reds receive a boost this week with Digby Loane back from suspension after serving 5 weeks for a dangerous throw. With their injury concerns also easing they’ll fancy themselves to make a charge for the finals coming into the second half of the season.

I can’t go past a Reds win in this one, the Blues have been atrocious and I just can’t bring myself to tip them anymore.

Lions v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 28 April, 3.10am

This should be a cracking match with the Brumbies embarking on their tour of South Africa last week and almost getting up over the Bulls. This week they take on the Lions who sit towards the bottom of the table and bottom of the South African conference.

The Lions are coming off the bye so should be fresh and would no doubt have had a good look at their performances so far this season in detail. They’ve scored the least amount of points out of any side in the competition so far but defensively they’ve conceded the 8th lowest amount of points. They’re the only side that has had two byes so far which has propelled them above the Blues on the ladder.

The Brumbies came close to a huge upset last weekend coming within 2 points of the Bulls away from home. It was a fantastic performance which earned them 2 bonus points for their troubles. They’ve been excellent this season, which was considered to be a rebuilding year, and they are a real chance of making the finals.

I think the Brumbies will be too strong in this one bit I can see the Lions getting a bonus point out of it, this one could be closer than expected though.

Chiefs v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 28 April, 5.35pm

The Chiefs come into this one on the back of a narrow 6 point victory over the Sharks in Durban last weekend while the Hurricanes are coming off a mauling at the hands of the Crusaders. Sitting at the top of the table, the Chiefs have had a fantastic start to the season and a re on a run of 7 straight wins heading into this one.

The Chiefs managed to come out of their Australian and South African tours unbeaten which is a fantastic effort and should hold them in good stead going into the second half of the season.

The Hurricanes are sitting mid-table on 25 points and are just 1 win outside of a place inside the top 6 depite an up and down season so far. They’ve scored the second highest amount of points of any side in the competition but it is their defence that has let them down with a number of high scoring losses.

This seems cut and dried with the Chiefs at home and sitting at the top of the table in great form, but I think the Hurricanes will test them here. Chiefs should get the points but don’t be surprised if the Hurricanes get a bonus point out of it.

Force v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 28 April, 7.40pm

The Western Force come into this match having just had the bye and a chance to recharge the batteries while the Stormers continue on their tour of Australia following a 10 point win over the Reds last weekend. The Stormers are looking to get top spot on the table back after being overtaken by the Chiefs a couple of weeks ago and they’ll see this match in Perth as the ideal opportunity to get a good win and possibly a bonus point as well.

The Force have had their ups and downs this season and their last start was a home loss to the Waratahs. They’ll take confidence from the fact that they were down and out in that match but rallied and almost got the points, taking the lead before Berrick Barnes fired the Waratahs ahead with two penalty conversions.

The Force are yet to play a South African team and this will be a massive test for them, they also have a tour to embark on starting next week so this will be a good hit-out to give them an idea of what they will be facing in the coming weeks.

The Stormers should be too strong in this one and I can’t see the Force getting anything out of it to be honest.

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Rugby Stadium, Sunday 29 April, 1.05am

The Highlanders head into this match 5 points behind the league and conference leading Chiefs and are coming off the back of a narrow 3 point win over the Blues last weekend. The Cheetahs are coming off the bye and will be looking to build on their narrow 6 point loss to the Chiefs a fortnight ago.

The Cheetahs lost Rayno Benjamin to a dislocated shoulder against the Chiefs, the winger now out for the remainder of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season. Cameron Jacobs has been tasked with the responsibility of replacing the injured winger, he played for the Cheetahs earlier in the season before being reeplaced by Benjamin.

The Highlanders don’t have any fresh injury concerns and will be looking to get their first win over South African opposition following their 21-6 loss to the Stormers a few weeks ago. They continue their South African tour next weekend against the Sharks and will want to come out of it with 2 wins to keep the pressure on the Chiefs at the top of the table.

The Highlanders will be hungry for a win here and I can’t see the Cheetahs being a match for them, they should come out of it with a vastly improved for and against and possible a bonus point.

Waratahs v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 29 April, 4.10pm

The Waratahs head into this match on the back of a 9 point win over the Melbourne Rebels last weekend while the Crusaders thumped the Hurricanes 42-18. This week marks the return of inspirational skipper Richie McCaw for the Crusaders, a week earlier than expected, and he’ll play his first match of the season from the bench.

The Waratahs are hot on the heels of the Brumbies for the top spot in the Australian conference and a guaranteed finals spot, they sit just 1 point behind them just outside the wildcard spots.

The Crusaders sit in 6th place at the moment and are on a good run of 4 wins from their last 5 matches. They’ll welcome back McCaw with open arms as the All Blacks captain adds class to their forward pack and will give them even more firepower heading into the second half of the season.

The Waratahs could struggle to contain the Crusaders here and I think they’ll be doing well to get a bonus point out of this one, home ground advantage may just get them over the line in that respect. Crusaders for the win.

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Tips

Blues v Reds – Reds
Lions v Brumbies – Brumbies
Chiefs v Hurricanes – Chiefs
Force v Stormers – Stormers
Cheetahs v Highlanders – Highlanders
Waratahs v Crusaders - Crusaders

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Best Bets

Blues v Reds – Reds +6.5 @ $1.91
Lions v Brumbies – Brumbies 1-12 @ $2.85
Chiefs v Hurricanes – Chiefs @ $1.40
Force v Stormers – Stormers -5.5 @ $1.91
Cheetahs v Highlanders – Highlanders 1-12 @ $3.00
Waratahs v Crusaders – First to 10 points – Crusaders @ $1.55

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 9 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 9 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season kicks off on Friday night when the Highlanders take on the Blues in an all New Zealand affair. We have just the six matches again this weekend with the Cheetahs, Force and Lions getting the week off with a bye.

Last weekend went pretty much to script with all of the favourites getting wins for the first time since the season started. The big match up was the unbeaten Stormers travelling to Christchurch to take on an improving Crusaders side. The Crusaders were too strong in the end, putting an end to the 7 match unbeaten run of the South Africans.

The Waratahs and Brumbies had wins over the Force and Rebels respectively while the Bulls did enough to take out the Lions by the predicted 13+ scoreline, but only just.

The Chiefs have been the big surprise this season, topping both the NZ Conference and Overall Ladders after 8 rounds. A fantastic achievement for a side that many, including me, thought would just get a top 6 spot.

So let’s get into it, check out our preview of each match of round 9 below, including our tips and best bets!

Highlanders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Friday 20 April, 5.35pm

The Blues season just goes from bad to worse, beaten at home 29-23 by the Sharks last weekend. That makes it just 1 win from 7 matches all season and they are struggling big time. It won’t get any easier here against a Highlanders side fresh off the bye and hurting after their 21-6 loss against the Stormers a fortnight ago.

The Blues just don’t seem to have any answers and I’m surprised they are doing so badly this season. I had them in my top 6 come the end of the season and that is not going to happen based on what I’ve seen so far!

The Highlanders have been overtaken by the Chiefs as the top side in the New Zealand conference and they will want to get that back with a dominant display here against the Blues. The weeks rest will have done their older players like Andrew Hore and Jamie Macintosh the world of good and I can’t see the Blues getting close to them in this one.

Reds v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

The Reds have had a week off with the bye and boy did they need it. Down on troops and looking a shadow of the side that took out last years competition, the bye has come at the perfect time for them. The Stormers lost their first match of the season against the Crusaders last week and they’ll be looking to try and get back to winning ways in this one.

One positive for the Stormers is that they only let in the 1 try against the Crusaders, which shows that their defence is still holding strong. They were not as disciplined as we are used to seeing last week and that is one area they will need to clean up going into this one.

The Reds may be able to call on the services of Ben Lucas and Mike Harris after the duo missed a number of matches through injury. The bye has given the Reds the chance to take stock and get some of their players back to full fitness.

This is a tough one to call, the Stormers have been by far the best team in the comp so far and I can’t see them losing two in a row. However, the Reds will look at this as a fresh start and will also be raring to go in front of their home support. I’m going to live on the edge and predict a Reds win in this one, by a very small margin.

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

The Hurricanes were given a week off with the bye last week while the Crusaders took out the unbeaten Stormers 31-24 in Christchurch.

The Crusaders look to be hitting top form midway through the season and there is no coincidence that this has coincided with the return of Fly Half Dan Carter from injury. They are still without inspirational skipper Richie McCaw but the news on him is positive, he could be back to face the Reds a fortnight from now in Christchurch.

The Hurricanes have been up and down this season with 4 wins and 3 losses, they find themselves just inside the top 6, 2 points ahead of the Crusaders in 7th. The Crusaders will want to knock the Hurricanes off here and get the spot inside the top 6 that they will feel they rightfully deserve.

Crusaders by a couple of tries would be my pick for this one, the Hurricanes aren’t known for their defence and this could be a high scoring one.

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

The Waratahs are coming off the back of a nailbiting 23-18 win over the Force in Perth at the weekend. They led 17-3 at one point before a Force fightback saw them take the lead 18-17 with 15 to go. It looked as though the Waratahs were going to blow another match they led against the Force until two late penalties converted by Berrick Barnes gave them the 5 point win.

The Rebels were atrocious against the Brumbies in a 37-6 pummelling in Canberra. They have looked much improved this season but that performance had 2011 written all over it against a Brumbies side that have overachieved so far this year.

This should be pretty one sided with the Waratahs at home against a Rebels side looking for answers after being ambushed in Canberra. Waratahs by plenty!

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

This should be an absolute beauty with the Chiefs sitting atop the 2012 Super 15 Rugby Ladder and the Sharks coming off a 29-23 win away from home against the Blues. The Sharks are doing well considering they have had just the 2 home games so far this season, sitting in 8th place and only a win outside of the top 6.

The Sharks have won their only two home matches so far this season and they’ll be coming up against a Chiefs side full of confidence after 6 wins on the trot. They took care of the Cheetahs 39-33 in South Africa at the weekend to keep their run going and propel them to top spot at the expense of the Stormers.

In South Africa, this result could be anything. The Sharks usually play well in Durban and the Chiefs weren’t at their best last weekend. I’ll stick with them though, they should make this 7 in a row and keep top spot this week.

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

The Bulls earned themselves a 32-18 win over the Lions at the weekend and although they weren’t at their best they did enough to earn themselves a bonus point. The Brumbies, they were in fine form, albeit against a poor Rebels side, in a 37-6 shellacking.

This week the Brumbies must overcome their lack of form away from home, they’ve only had 2 away games so far this season but they have lost both of them. Jake White makes his return to South Africa after leading the Springboks to victory in the 2007 World Cup. His young Brumbies are yet to play a match in South Africa since he joined the helm in the offseason.

This should be an easy win to the Bulls on paper, but the Brumbies have surprised many this season, including me. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Brumbies are up for this one however, the Bulls should still get the win by a couple of tries at home!

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Highlanders v Blues – Highlanders
Reds v Stormers – Reds
Hurricanes v Crusaders – Crusaders
Waratahs v Rebels – Waratahs
Sharks v Chiefs – Chiefs
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview - Banter’s Best Bets

Highlanders v Blues – Highlanders @ $1.53
Reds v Stormers – Reds 1-12 @ $3.00
Hurricanes v Crusaders – Crusaders -5.5 @ $1.91
Waratahs v Rebels – Waratahs 13+ @ $1.79
Sharks v Chiefs – Chiefs +3.0 @ $1.91
Bulls v Brumbies – Bulls 13+ @ $1.79

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 8 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 8 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season kicks off on Friday night when the struggling Blues tackle the Sharks in Auckland.

Last week contained a number of upsets again with the Blues taken down by the Rebels and the Hurricanes taking out the Sharks. Most of round 7 was business as usual though with the Stormers, Chiefs and Bulls continuing their dominance of this years competition.

The Australian sides fared a little better than last week with the Reds and Rebels getting wins and the Waratahs with the bye. The Force and Brumbies were taken down a notch following their recent good form, both will have the chance against Aussie opposition to right that this week.

So let’s get into it, don’t forget that we also offer live scores including live Super Rugby action, head into our live scores section on match day to keep up with the action.

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Both sides head into ths one on the back of demoralising defeats, the Bulls at the hands of the Rebels and the Sharks were thumped by the Hurricanes.

The Blues have been the most disappointing side so far this season, in my season preview I had tipped them to be contenders for the top 6. With the quality of players at their disposal they really should be doing better and they should have had enough in them to dispose of the Rebels.

The Sharks were shocking against the Hurricanes, at one point they were down 25-3 and despite a better second half were no match for the NZ outfit.

This will be a tough one, the Blues have been so bad this year that I don’t want to tip them anymore but I’ll give them one last chance. At home they should be too strong for the Sharks who struggle on the road.

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

The Force head into this match on the back of a narrow 20-12 loss to the Chiefs at the weekend while the Waratahs have had a chance to regroup with the bye.

They needed it too after after slumping to a 30-13 loss to the Chiefs and their season going downhill fast. They’ll also be hurting from the last meeting between these two a month or so ago where the Force caused what was the upset of the season at that point. The bye should have helped them with injuries, which they have many, so a week off would not have done them any harm.

The Force lacked potency against the Chiefs and they’ll be banking on Cameron Shepherd returning to action as soon as possible to give them a bit more in attack. They’ll take confidence in their surprise win over the Waratahs earlier in the season and will be looking to produce the same here at home.

Despite that Force win earlier this season, I think the Waratahs will be too strong after the week’s rest and should get the 4 points in this one.

Crusaders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Saturday 5.30pm (EST)

The Crusaders head into another battle with a top South African outfit after their narrow loss to the Bulls last weekend. Controversy surrounded that clash with the Bulls accusing the Crusasders of eye gouging, a claim they strongly refute. Considering the claims have since been thrown out by the citing commissioner, it will be interesting to see whether this affects their mentality heading into this one.

The Stormers just continue on their winning ways, they sit atop the Super 15 Rugby ladder in both their conference and overall and it looks like no one can stop them. They haven’t been outstanding in attack but it appears as if no one can break through their defence which has conceded just 97 points.

I have a feeling this could be the week that the Stormers lose their unbeaten run though. The Crusaders will be fired up and will want to take that out on their next South African opponents, the Stormers can thank the Bulls for firing them up.

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

The Brumbies head into this one on the back of a loss to the Reds up in sunny Queensland, while the Rebels secured a good win against the Blues on Thursday night.

Heading back to Canberra Stadium with the cold snap that has just hit might give the Brumbies the conditions that they thrive in. They were toothless against the Reds at the weekend and will need to improve in attack if they want to get anything here against an improving Rebels side.

The Rebels were outstanding on Thursday night against the Blues. While the Blues have been disappointing this season you can’t take anything away from this Rebels side that have shown that they are anything but easy beats this season. Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor have been standouts, especially against the Blues last week.

This is a tough one to call, I’m tempted to go with the Rebels after that win over the Blues but I think the conditions in Canberra will favour the Brumbies. I’m tipping them to bounce back in this one.

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

The Cheetahs have surprised me so far this season, I had them pegged to finish at the bottom of the ladder after losing Sarel Pretorius in the offseason. They’re attack doesn’t seem to have suffered too much though, they’ve scored 194 points to be the third highest point scorers in the league. The problem is that they’ve also conceded 199 points, the most by any side in the league.

The Chiefs are on fire at the moment, after a slow start to the season they’ve moved themselved up to second on the ladder just behind the Stormers. Every player has chipped in for the Chiefs so far this season, with Lelia Masaga, Tim Nanai-Williams, Sona Taumalolo and Sonny Bill Williams all outstanding so far.

As much as I like the Cheetahs at home, I can’t go past the Chiefs to keep up their good form and give top spot a shake with the Stormers away to the Crusaders this week.

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Two South African sides with completely contrasting playing styles and form over the season. The Lions at the bottom of the ladder with just the one win, the Bulls in the top 6 with four wins to their name so far this season.

The Lions come into this one on the back of another shaky performance, this time against the Cheetahs. This was a match where they should have been competing. They need to win those matches if they are to get themselves off the bottom of the ladder as they will be hard pressed winning many others.

The Bulls played out a 32-30 win over the Crusaders at the weekend but the match was marred by the Bulls alleging that the Crusaders had eye gouged throughout the match. This was unproven and the matter didn’t go any further but I just wonder whether there was any substance to the claims. It’s unusual for a winning side to make a claim like this, it usually comes from a side that comes out of the match looking like sore losers.

I can’t go past the Bulls in this one, they should earn themselves a bonus point and they’ll need it with an Australian road trip just around the corner!

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Sports Banter Tips:

Blues v Sharks – Blues
Force v Waratahs – Waratahs
Crusaders v Stormers – Crusaders
Brumbies v Rebels – Brumbies
Cheetahs v Chiefs – Chiefs
Lions v Bulls - Bulls

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Best Bets:

Blues v Sharks - Over 48.5 @ $1.90
Force v Waratahs - Waratahs -3.5 @ $1.91
Crusaders v Stormers - Crusaders @ $1.60
Brumbies v Rebels - Brumbies 1-12 @ $2.90
Cheetahs v Chiefs - Chiefs 1-12 @ $2.85
Lions v Bulls – Bulls @ $1.25

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 7 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 7 of the Super 15 Rugby season kicks off this Thursday, yes you heard it right. With this being the Easter long weekend, the matches kick off a day early, starting with the Rebels hosting the Blues from AAMI Park.

We head into this week on the back of a round that contained a plethora of upsets. The biggest of them all, the Cheetahs massive win over the Hurricanes. I didn’t see that one coming!

The Waratahs were done by the Chiefs in Sydney and the Reds by the Force over in Perth to wrap up another miserable week for the Aussie teams. The Brumbies were unlucky in their defeat to the Sharks, just the Force winners in the Aussie conference this week.

We preview each match of Round 7 of the Super 15 Rugby season below, including our tips for each match and best bets.

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

The Rebels head into this one on the back of a hiding at the hands of the Highlanders last Friday. They were no match for them in the second half and should have done better, going into half time at 12-12. The Rebels will welcome back Danny Cipriani, who injured his hamstring a couple of weeks ago, he’ll move O’Connor to the number 12 and will give them a bit of a boost.

The Blues have yet to get going and I’m starting to wonder whether they even will to be honest. They have been the most disappointing side this year so far and should be much higher up the ladder with the personnel they have. Last week they had an easy win, the bye, and will be looking to move their way up the ladder with a win in this one.

I can’t see the Rebels being as bad as they were in the second half against the Highlanders last week, so I give them a chance in this one. The Blues, they will be refreshed from the bye and looking to start their season over, I think they will get one over the Rebels here.

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

The Hurricanes will be hurting after last weeks loss to the Cheetahs, one of the upsets of the season so far. They conceded 47 points in that match at home and will be looking to take out the frustration on the Sharks here. They really have no excuses for the loss, at one point they led 32-11 and really should have gone on with it.

The Sharks could be considered lucky to win their last match against the Brumbies. The lead changed 7 times in the match and they ended up on the right end of the scoreboard after 80 minutes. That 29-26 win was their first in the ACT since 1998 and they will be hoping that it gives them the confidence to tackle the Hurricanes in New Zealand this weekend.

This is a tough one to call, the Hurricanes at home should be favourites but on recent performances I’m inclined to tip the Sharks for an upset win here.

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

The Reds have a chance to redeem themselves and knock off Aussie opponents after last weeks embarrassing loss to the Force. The Reds have now lost 3 in a row for the first time since 2009 and it will be a true test of their character here. They were severely depleted in the creativity department with Cooper, Harris, Lucas and Lance all out. It will be interesting to see whether Harris or Lucas are named this week with their injuries on the mend.

The Brumbies went down in a close one to the Sharks at the weekend, just a penalty goal separating the two sides at full time. They’ll go into this one as favourites for good reason, but they’ll need to be wary of a wounded Reds side looking to regain some pride. They’ll need to perform like they did last season in the corresponding fixture where they knocked the Reds, their only loss at home.

It’s hard to back against the Reds at Suncorp, even with the amount of injuries they have. I’m going to tip an upset, if you can call it that, with the Reds to bounce back here.

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

The Force were outstanding against the Reds on Saturday night, putting 45 points on the reigning champions. The Reds were depleted through injury, but the Force can only play what is put in front of them and the Reds do have a fair bit of depth. The Force put in what was probably their best performance in the last two seasons of Super 15 Rugby and will be full of confidence going into this one.

The Chiefs head into this one on the back of a solid 30-13 win over the Waratahs on Saturday night. The first half was all the Waratahs and I couldn’t believe they went into half time down 13-10 to be honest. I think the players must have been shcoked too because their second half effort was nowhere near as good, the Chiefs took full advantage to keep them scoreless.

The Chiefs have been one of the better teams so far this Super 15 Rugby season, and I see no reason that will change this week. I think they will be too good for an improving Force side.

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

This should be a cracker, 1 v 2 on the ladder and probably the two in form teams of the competition. The Highlanders bounced back from their disappointing match against the Brumbies with a 31 point mauling of the Rebels at the weekend. They’ll head into this one without the services of Colin Slade and Andrew Hore but they managed well enough without them last week.

The Stormers won the battle of the top South African sides at the weekend with a 20-17 win over the Bulls. They are the only undefeated side left in the Super Rugby competition and are playing with a heap of confidence at the moment. The Stormers have been resolute in defence and they’ll need to be against a side that isn’t afraid to score points. In saying that though, they contained the Bulls last week who had scored the most points in the competition at that point.

This could go either way, the Stormers will be looking to keep their unbeaten run going but I think the Highlanders might just knock them off here.

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

An all South African affair sees the Lions travel to Bloemfontain to tackle the Cheetahs here. Both sides are at the wrong end of the table as predicted and this could be another high scoring match between these two.

The Cheetahs could be out of the competition in as little as 9 months as the Southern Kings ready themselves for entry into the competition next season. One of the existing sides needs to drop out to make way for them and the Cheetahs are at the bottom of the pile in terms of South African sides. This was brought up again mid week and both of these sides will no doubt be looking to prove a point here.

The Cheetahs caused an upset win 47-38 over the Hurricanes at the weekend, while the Lions head into this one on the bakc of a 23-13 loss to the Crusaders.

I think the Cheetahs will knock off the Lions here and will make a statement to SA Rugby that they aren’t the side that should be excluded from next years competition.

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Another cracker to wrap up Super 15 Rugby for round 6 with the 5th placed Bulls taking on the 6th placed Crusaders. The Bulls had a narrow loss to fellow South Africans the Stormers last weekend, going down 20-17 in a close encounter. The Bulls were down 14-0 at one stage just after half time and staged a great comeback to get the scores back to 17 all with just a few minutes remaining. The Stormers got a late penalty but I think the Bulls will take some confidence from that match and will be raring to go at home here against the Crusaders.

The Crusaders had a 23-13 win over the Lions at the weekend, and despite having an almost full strength squad they struggled to put them away. They now have Dan Carter back to full fitness and only have Richie McCaw sitting on the sidelines, they’ve already started their push towards the top of the table. The Crusaders will be buoyed by the fact they kept the Lions scoreless in the second half and will be looking to reproduce that defence here.

At home, the Bulls have already lost to New Zealand opposition this season and I feel they will suffer another one here with the Crusaders getting better and better each week.

Sports Banter’s Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Rebels v Blues – Blues
Hurricanes v Sharks – Sharks
Reds v Brumbies – Reds
Force v Chiefs – Chiefs
Highlanders v Stormers – Highlanders
Lions v Cheetahs – Cheetahs
Bulls v Crusaders – Crusaders

Banter’s Best Bets - Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Rebels v Blues – Blues 1-12 @ $2.80
Hurricanes v Sharks – Sharks -2.5 @ $2.09
Reds v Brumbies – Reds 1-12 @ $2.85
Force v Chiefs – Chiefs @ $1.50
Highlanders v Stormers – Highlanders -2.5 @ $2.00
Lions v Cheetahs – Cheetahs – 5.5 @ $1.91
Bulls v Crusaders – Crusaders +3.5 @ $1.91

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 6 Preview

By Steve 1 Comment

Round 6 of the 2012 Super 15 Rugby season is upon us and it promises to be a beauty if the last couple are anything to go by. The upsets were few and far between this week, with just the Brumbies causing what could be considered a real upset by taking out the unbeaten Highlanders.

The Waratahs finally got back to winning ways and did so in style, beating the Sharks in a thoroughly entertaining affair 34-30. The Reds didn’t fare so well, absolutely smashed by the Bulls conceding 61 points in the process.

Round 6 will no doubt see some upsets, but the top teams seem to have settled in a bit now with the Stormers, Bulls and Chiefs continuing to look good. This could change once the top South African sides go on the road though.

Check out our preview of round 6 of the Super 15 Rugby 2012 season below, including our tips and best bets for the week.

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

The Highlanders were outdone in a close one against the Brumbies last weekend, going down 33-26 at Canberra Stadium. To make things worse, the Highlanders lost key playmaker Colin Slade with a fracture of the ankle. Early diagnosis is he will be out for the rest of the season.

The Rebels secured their first win of the season in a close one of their own, a 30-29 win over the Western Force at home. Danny Cipriani pulled up with a hamstring early in the second half of that one and could miss the next 4-6 weeks. When he went off the Rebels had a 21-0 lead, they almost threw the game away from that point.

At home, I can’t go past the Highlander to grab all 4 points in this one, they will also no doubt be after a bonus point as well.

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

The Hurricanes head into this one on the back of a thrilling 26-25 win over the Blues last Friday night. They got away with the win courtesy of a last minute try to captain Conrad Smith and subsequent conversion by Beauden Barrett after the siren. A hard fought win that moved them up to 6th on the overall ladder and in the Wildcard places.

The Cheetahs, they fought hard against the Crusaders but the class of the New Zealand outfit eventually told as they went down 28-21. They were in the game with scores locked at 21 a piece with just a few minutes to go but couldn’t hold the Crusaders out. They’ll be looking to improve and another game in New Zealand awaits them here.

The Cheetahs are showing signs of improvement but so are the Hurricanes, I think the Hurricanes will get this in a tight encounter. The Cheetahs may earn themselves another bonus point here.

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

The Chiefs had the bye last week and they currently top the New Zealand conference on 18 points. They’ll head into this one with plenty of confidence following their last match which was a home win over the Brumbies.

The Waratahs looked a different side against the Sharks, throwing the ball around for a change and it looks as if they boring rugby we are used to seeing is a thing of the past. Obviously, this means the Waratahs are likely to concede more defensively, but as long as they are outscoring their opponents that’s not really an issue. Brendan McKibbin looks likely to get the nod again at halfback this week, with Sarel Pretorius to warm the bench again.

The Waratahs look to have finally found playmakers that will allow them to play expansive rugby, this all bodes well for the rest of the season. This will be a tough match though, with the Chiefs one of the form teams. I think they may surprise a few people and get the win here though.

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

The Brumbies are coming off a morale boosting 33-26 win over the highly fancied Highlanders last week. They get another home game against the Sharks here and they’ll be wanting to show everyone that last week was no fluke. The Brumbies have impressed with their young side so far, nobody really gave them a chance but they have proved the doubters wrong so far.

The Sharks have another away match to contend with this week after their 34-30 loss to the Waratahs last weekend. They will be disappointed with that result having regained the lead with just 8 minutes to go. They conceded a try with 4 minutes left with earning just the bonus point in that one.

Despite the Brumbies resurgence, I think the Sharks will bounce back with a win in this one in what should be a tight affair.

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

The Force went down 30-29 to a spirited Rebels side at the weekend, however they almost snatched the match from the jaws of defeat. At one point the Force were down 21-0 but managed to come back and lead 29-27 before a David Pocock penalty was converted by the Rebels for their first win of the season. The Force went down 35-20 in the last match between these two just a few weeks ago.

The Reds, well what can you say, they were atrocious on the weekend. They went down 61-8 to a rampant Bulls side over in Pretoria. Despite a depleted side, the Reds should have put up more of a fight in this one and will be looking to bounce back from 2 losses on the trot. They also lost another fly half in this match with Jono Lance going down with a serious ankle injury. This is in addition to the losses of Quade Cooper, Mike Harris and Ben Lucas.

This is a tough one to pick to be honest, the Force have improved since their loss to the Reds, and the Reds have regressed. I still think that the class of the Reds will shine through here and I’ll back them to bounce back.

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

The Lions went down by 5 points in a tough match against South African neighbours the Stormers last week. They will have their work cut out for them once again here against a Crusaders side that welcomed back NZ fly half Dan Carter last week. The Lions haven’t been the easy beats that I predicted at the beginning of the season, however they still sit towards the bottom of the table with just the 1 win so far this season.

The Crusaders, as mentioned, welcomed back Dan Carter at the weekend. He came off the bench in the second half and immediately you could tell that he was the reason the Crusaders weren’t at their best this year. He set up a try with his first touch of the ball to give the Crusaders an 18-3 lead just after half time. They switched off though and let the Cheetahs back into the match and they’ll have to be mindful of that against their South African counterparts here.

The Crusaders with Dan Carter are a much better side, he’ll most probably start this one so I can’t go past a Crusaders win here. The Lions might not get a bonus point in this one!

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Last up in Round 6 we have an all South African affair with the Bulls travelling to Capetown to do battle with the Stormers. This is a battle of the top 2 sides so far this Super 15 Rugby season. They are separated by just a point and in previous seasons would be number 1 and 2 on the ladder. The Bulls sit 4th due to the new conference system and would be the first team to be considered for one of the 3 wildcard spots.

The Stormers have been the most consistent side so far, they are unbeaten but surprisingly have not secured a bonus point yet. They get the job done and haven’t gone crazy like the Bulls have in a couple of their matches. The Stormers almost threw away the match against the Lions at the weekend though. At one point they led 18-0 midway through the first half, only to have that lead cut down to 2 points with 10 minutes left. A couple of late penalties giving the Stormers a narrow win.

This should be a cracker, and for me is the match of the round. Two teams in form, the Bulls on fire in attack, and the Stormers resolute in defence. It could go either way, but I’m going to tip the Bulls here, we won’t have any unbeaten teams after this round.

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Highlanders v Rebels – Highlanders
Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Hurricanes
Chiefs v Waratahs – Waratahs
Brumbies v Sharks – Sharks
Force v Reds – Reds
Lions v Crusaders – Crusaders
Stormers v Bulls – Bulls

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Highlanders v Rebels – Highlanders @ $1.52
Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Hurricanes -9.0 @ $1.91
Chiefs v Waratahs – Waratahs +12.5 @ $1.36
Brumbies v Sharks – Sharks @ $1.72
Force v Reds – Reds 1-12 @ $2.95
Lions v Crusaders – Crusaders -8.5 @ $1.91
Stormers v Bulls – Bulls +12.5 @ $1.31

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 5 Preview

By Steve Leave a Comment

Round 5 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off on Friday and we could be in for a beauty if the past couple of weeks are anything to go by.

Last week wasn’t a good week for the Australian sides with the Brumbies, Waratahs, Reds and Rebels all going down in close encounters.

The Waratahs were shocking in their upset loss to the Western Force, despite assurances that their play would become more exciting they have not shown anything different to the boring play we saw last season.

The Reds went down in a close one to the Sharks away from home, they haven’t looked like the side that took the competition by storm last year. They are no doubt missing the influence of Quade Cooper as much as they won’t admit that his absence is a massive loss.

The Brumbies and Rebels, while they weren’t expected to win their matches, were both in the hunt and were pipped with late tries to the Chiefs and Cheetahs respectively.

This week we’re back to our full compliment of games with the Chiefs sitting the week out with a bye.

Check out our tips for each match below, and this week we’ve also come up with a special Multi as part of our best bets.

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

The Blues continued their early season poor form last weekend when they went down to the Stormers 27-17. Despite possessing a quality squad this season, they just have not hit the sort of form they would have been expecting and are languishing 2nd last on the overall Super 15 Rugby ladder.

The Hurricanes went down in a close one to the Highlanders over the weekend and will be looking to bounce back here once again against New Zealand opposition. They were down 13-3 early in that match and ended up leading 17-16 with 10 to go before a late penalty goal from Highlanders flyhalf Chris Noakes sealed their fate. They currently sit 3rd on the New Zealand conference ladder and 8th overall.

This should be a hard fought match if both sides previous matches are anything to go by. The Hurricanes have been up and down and despite the Blues position on the ladder they are better than that. I think they will get their second win of the season here.

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

The Rebels would have been gutted by the manner of their loss at the weekend. They were down 20-7 at one point and looked down and out before staging a comeback that got them to back in contention and levelled the scores 26-26 with 80 minutes gone. The Cheetahs managed to keep the ball alive though and broke the hearts of Rebels players and fans alike with a try to seal the win.

The Force scored the upset of Super 15 Rugby 2012 with a hard fought 21-20 win over the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. To be fair, the Waratahs were atrocious but as they say you can only beat what is put in front of you. That win kickstarted a season that had began with 3 straight losses and didn’t look like getting any better.

This is a tough one to call. Both sides looked much better in Round 3 matches and it may just be the homeground advantage that separates this one. The Rebels are due for their first win so that is where my money will be going.

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

In a mid afternoon fixture, the Waratahs will be looking to erase all memories of that inept performance against the Force last weekend. Despite claims of more entertaining and expansive Rugby, the Waratahs have so far played the same boring Rugby that has plagued them over the last few seasons. They will need massive improvements across the board if they are going to get anything out of this one.

The Sharks head into this one on the back of a solid 27-22 win over the reigning champions. At one point the Sharks were down 17-0 but fought back to win on the back of some great defence and two second half tries. The only worry for me is that the second half performance was mainly off the back of a Reds player being sin-binned and two key players going down with injury.

I feel the Sharks would not have won over the weekend had the Reds halves not succumbed to injury, Harris going down in the first half and Lucas missing most of the second. The Waratahs will be looking to bounce back and I feel they may just have the Sharks measure. A demoralising loss like the one against the Force can do wonders for a teams mentality in their next encounter.

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

The Crusaders had a chance to put their feet up last week with a bye and will head into this one looking to improve on their 3rd place conference position. The Crusaders have been disappointing so far this season but any side missing the calibre of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw would look a shadow of themselves. I feel we won’t see anywhere near their best until both of those get back on the field and get a few games under their belt.

The Cheetahs will be buoyed by their extra time 33-26 win over the Melbourne Rebels on Sunday afternoon. However, despite a 20-7 lead they almost lost the match and can count themselves lucky. They won’t be able to have concentration lapses against last years runner up and will need to be on their game defensively.

The Crusaders should take care of the Cheetahs comfortably here despite their indifferent start to the season. Get on the Crusaders by plenty in this one.

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

The Brumbies can count themselves unlucky at the weekend, with the scores locked at 22-22, they conceded a late try to go down 29-22. The Chiefs looked to have wrapped the game up, leading 22-15 with 4 to go, but the Brumbies had other ideas, scoring with 4 minutes remaining to lock up the scores. That last minute loss may have dented their confidence but they will need to pick themselves up and get back on the horse against their next opposition from across the Tasman.

The Highlanders have the boot of Chris Noakes to thank for their win against the Hurricanes last weekend. The match never really hit any heights and with Colin Slade off the field it was left to replacement flyhalf Noakes to get the 3 points and the win for the Highlanders. They have now got 4 from 4 and are looking like the team to beat despite not really hitting top form yet.

The Brumbies are showing signs of improvement across the board, their young team has surprised many so far this season. However, I think the Highlanders, who know how to grind out a win, will get the 4 points in this one. Don’t expect any bonus points for them though.

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

The Bulls had the luxury of a bye last week and also didn’t have to travel anywhere this week. They currently sit 3rd on the ladder, just 2 points off the top and will be looking to put more distance between themselves and the Reds with a win here. They have been up and down this season so far, a 32 point thrashing of the Cheetahs was followed up with a 6 point loss to the Blues at home.

The Reds haven’t been the same team that we saw last season but despite this they still sit 5th on the ladder, just 3 points off the top spot. They are missing direction in the halves and this has been further compounded by the injuries to Ben Lucas and Mike Harris at the weekend. Both have been sent home from South Africa and two youngsters in Eyres-Brown and Rapana have been called upon to join the team in South Africa.

The loss of two key halves for the Reds will make it tough for them here. The Bulls are coming off a week of rest and the Reds have not beaten them in Pretoria since 2001. I don’t see that changing here to be honest.

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Last up for round 4 of Super 15 Rugby is the Lions hosting the Stormers after a week off. The Lions last start was a 32-20 loss to the Sharks at Kings Park in Durban. This week, they continue their local rivalry at home and will be looking to improve on the form that has seen them win just 1 match so far this season.

The Stormers are on top of the overall Super 15 Rugby standings and will be looking to maintain that this week. They are undefeated so far and look to be the team to beat this year. In saying that though, they have had 3 home matches and a bye so far and things will get much tougher for them when they go on the road from round 7. That will be the real test and we’ll see what they are made of then.

This should be a routine win for the Stormers, I really can’t see the Lions getting close and a bonus point should be on the cards for the competition leaders.

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Hashtags: #super15 #SuperRugby #SupeRUG

Super 15 Rugby Preview - Sports Banter’s Tips:

Blues v Hurricanes – Blues
Rebels v Force – Rebels
Waratahs v Sharks - Waratahs
Crusaders v Cheetahs – Crusaders
Brumbies v Highlanders – Highlanders
Bulls v Reds – Bulls
Lions v Stormers – Stormers

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Hurricanes – Blues @ $1.61
Rebels v Force – Rebels -2.0 @ $2.11
Waratahs v Sharks - Waratahs @ $1.65
Crusaders v Cheetahs – Crusaders 13+ @ $1.57
Brumbies v Highlanders – Highlanders @ $1.65
Bulls v Reds – Bulls -8.5 @ $1.90
Lions v Stormers – Stormers 13+ @ $2.34

Total Multibet Odds – $64.56

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 4 Preview

By Steve 2 Comments

Round 4 of Super 15 Rugby 2012 kicks off on Friday night when the Chiefs host the Brumbies at Bay Park Stadium.

Round 3 threw up a few interesting results with favourites the Crusaders, Waratahs and Bulls all getting knocked over. That seems to be the trend so far this season with only the Stormers and Reds finding any sort of consistency. The Reds, however, made hard work of beating the Rebels on Saturday night.

The Brumbies also find themselves towards the top of the table on 12 points but they have had two very narrow wins and a bye.

As per our earlier season predictions, the Force, Lions and Cheetahs find themselves at the bottom of the table. But what is surprising, is seeing the Blues towards the bottom of the table as well.

This week we have just 6 matches with 3 teams getting the bye, the Lions, Bulls and Crusaders. Check out our predictions below and keep an eye out for our best bets later in the week.

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

The Chiefs surprised everyone again last week, taking down the Crusaders 24-19 away from home. They currently sit second on the New Zealand conference ladder which puts them in the wildcard spot for that conference.

The Brumbies got a last minute win over the Cheetahs at Canberra Stadium, slotting a penalty goal after the siren to take the 4 points. They are undefeated and sit second on the Australian conference ladder behind the Reds on points difference.

This should be an entertaining game, the Chiefs like to throw the ball around and the Brumbies have been involved in some exciting matches so far. At home though, I can’t go past the Chiefs and I think they’ll end the Brumbies unbeaten run here.

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

This should be a cracking match between two of the heavyweights, although the Blues haven’t resembled that this season. The Stormers are coming off the bye and currently top the South African conference, third overall on points difference.

The Blues got their first win of the season last week against the Bulls away from home. They’re still towards the bottom of both the conference and overall ladders though despite that win. They will be without star All Black second rower Jerome Kaino for the rest of the season, and have Rene Ranger out suspended for 2 matches also.

While the Blues got the job done against the Stormers neighbours last week, I can’t see them getting a similar result this week. The Stormers should be too strong at home and take all 4 points but it should be a close one.

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Last week the Hurricanes put the Western Force to the sword in a 46-19 thrashing in Perth. They return home for a local derby this weekend having earned themselves a valuable bonus point on the road.

The Highlanders managed an upset 18-17 win over the Waratahs at the weekend and will be full of confidence going into this one. They currently sit atop the New Zealand conference ladder on 12 points after 3 wins, only behind overall on points difference.

This should be another cracking match between two in form teams coming off morale boosting wins. Despite the Hurricanes emphatic victory over the Force last weekend, I’m leaning towards the Highlanders here in a tight one.

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

The Waratahs can count themselves unlucky that they didn’t get all 4 points last weekend against the Highlanders. In a tough match, the Waratahs only went down by a point, with Halangahu missing a crucial conversion which would have given them the win.

The Western Force didn’t turn up against the Hurricanes on the weekend, and they’ll no doubt want to turn that around this week. They were outmuscled, out-enthused and generally just outplayed on the day.

The Waratahs don’t have a great record against the Force, with 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss in 3 matches. The Waratahs have lost flanker Pat McCutcheon in addition to their injured stars Dan Vickerman, Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell, Rocky Elsom and Wycliffe Palu. Despite the injuries, I think the Waratahs will bounce back here but this will be no walk in the park!

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Last week the Sharks managed a 32-20 bonus point win over compatriots the Lions. They’ll be full of confidence going into this one at home against the league leading Queensland Reds. That win over the Lions was their first of the season and they’ve now secured 3 bonus points as well to see them in 3rd place in the South African conference.

The Reds made hard work of their win over the Rebels last weekend, just scraping home 11-6 up at Suncorp Stadium. They start a tough road trip that will tell us whether they are still a champion team, going to Perth after their 2 week South African safari.

This should be an entertaining match between two sides that like to throw the ball around a bit. The Sharks have been disappointing this season and I see the Reds starting their tour off with a narrow victory here.

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM

The Rebels were unlucky not to get anything out of their match against the Reds last weekend, a gutsy performance against the Champions deserved more. They will take some confidence from that match though and should be competitive once again at home here.

The Cheetahs were also unlucky not to get all 4 points against the Brumbies at the weekend, going down by a point after the Brumbies got a last minute penalty. They’ll want to get their first win of the season here as well so we should be in for a cracking match against two hungry teams.

The Rebels have shown that they aren’t going to be pushovers this season and I think they will get their first win here against the Cheetahs. The Cheetahs have been disappointing this season and much of that is down to the loss of scrum-half Sarel Pretorius to the Waratahs.

sportsbanter.com.au Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

Chiefs v Brumbies – Chiefs
Stormers v Blues – Stormers
Hurricanes v Highlanders – Highlanders
Waratahs v Force – Waratahs
Sharks v Reds – Reds
Rebels v Cheetahs – Rebels

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

TBA – Odds to be released later in the week.

Filed Under: Banter, Super Rugby Tagged With: Rugby Union, super 15, super 15 rugby, super 15 rugby 2012, Super Rugby, super rugby 2012

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Hurricanes v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby Round 13 Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Sports Banter Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby Round 13

Blues v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 11 May, 5.30pm (EST)

Waratahs v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Friday 11 May, 7.40pm (EST)

Highlanders v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, Saturday 12 May, 5.30pm (EST)

Rebels v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Saturday 13 May, 7.30pm (EST)

Sharks v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 ABSA Stadium, Durban, Sunday 13 May, 1.05am (EST)

Stormers v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Newlands Rugby Stadium, Cape Town, Sunday 13 May, 3.10am (EST)

Reds v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 12 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Sunday 13 May, 4pm (EST)

Hurricanes v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 4 May, 5.35pm

Rebels v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 AAMI Park, Melbourne, Friday 4 May, 7.40pm

Chiefs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Bayer Growers Stadium, Saturday May 5, 5.30pm

Brumbies v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 5 May, 7.40pm

Sharks v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 6 May, 1.05am

Cheetahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 6 May, 3.10am

Crusaders v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11 Rugby League Park, Christchurch, Sunday 6 May, 2pm

Sports Banter Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 11

Blues v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 27 April, 5.35pm

Lions v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Saturday 28 April, 3.10am

Chiefs v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 28 April, 5.35pm

Force v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 28 April, 7.40pm

Cheetahs v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Free State Rugby Stadium, Sunday 29 April, 1.05am

Waratahs v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sunday 29 April, 4.10pm

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Tips

Super 15 Rugby 2012 – Round 10 Preview – Best Bets

Highlanders v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Forsythe Barr Stadium, Friday 20 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview - Banter’s Best Bets

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Sports Banter Tips:

Super 15 Rugby Round 8 – Best Bets:

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Sports Banter’s Tips – Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Banter’s Best Bets - Super 15 Rugby Round 6

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Super 15 Rugby Preview - Sports Banter’s Tips:

Super 15 Rugby Preview – Banter’s Best Bets:

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM

sportsbanter.com.au Tips – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

Banter’s Best Bets – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Round 3

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Suncorp Stadium, Friday 20 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 5.35pm

Waratahs v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 21 April, 7.40pm

Sharks v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Kings Park, Durban, Sunday 22 April, 1.05am

Bulls v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 22 April, 3.10am

Blues v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Eden Park, Auckland, Friday 5.30pm (EST)

Force v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 9.10pm (EST)

Brumbies v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 7.40pm (EST)

Cheetahs v Chiefs - Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein, Sunday 1.05am (EST)

Lions v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 3.10am (EST)

Rebels v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Thursday 5 April, 7.40pm

Hurricanes v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Friday 6 April, 5.35pm

Reds v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Friday 6 April, 7.40pm

Force v Chiefs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Friday 6 April, 9.40pm

Highlanders v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Forsythe Barr Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 5.35pm

Cheetahs v Lions – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Free State Stadium, Saturday 7 April, 11.00pm

Bulls v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, Sunday 8 April, 1.00am

Highlanders v Rebels – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Rugby Park, Invercargill, Friday 30 March, 5.35pm

Hurricanes v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Saturday 31 March, 3.30pm

Chiefs v Waratahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, Saturday 31 March, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Canberra Stadium, Canberra, Saturday 31 March, 7.40pm

Force v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
nib Stadium, Perth, Saturday 31 March, 9.40pm

Lions v Crusaders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Coca Cola Park, Johannesburg, Sunday 1 April, 2.05am

Stormers v Bulls – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sunday 1 April, 3.05am

Blues v Hurricanes – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Eden Park, Friday 23 March, 5.35pm

Rebels v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby Preview
AAMI Park, Friday 23 March, 7.40pm

Waratahs v Sharks – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Allianz Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 3.35pm

Crusaders v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Rugby League Park, Saturday 24 march, 5.35pm

Brumbies v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Canberra Stadium, Saturday 24 March, 7.40pm

Bulls v Reds – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Loftus Versfeld, Sunday 25 March, 2.05am

Lions v Stormers – Super 15 Rugby Preview
Coca Cola Park, Sunday 25 March, 4.10am

Chiefs v Brumbies – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Bay Park Stadium, Tauranga, Fri Mar 16, 5:35PM

Stormers v Blues – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
DHL Newlands, Capetown, Sat Mar 17, 4:10AM

Hurricanes v Highlanders – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, Sat Mar 17, 5:35PM

Waratahs v Western Force – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Sat Mar 17, 7:40PM

Sharks v Reds – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, Sun Mar 18, 2:05AM

Rebels v Cheetahs – Super 15 Rugby 2012 Preview
AAMI Park, Melbourne, Sun Mar 18, 4:10PM